Wall formed conduit for swimming pools and method of making the same

ABSTRACT

A conduit and the method of making the same for the introduction of filtered water into swimming pools, the conduit formed by covering a generally horizontal conduit forming portion in a metallic pool wall with a plate. The plate includes a V-shaped recess. Directional outlets are selectively formed in either of the two sections forming the V-shaped recess or in the remainder of the plate to cause water to be directed into the pool upwardly, downwardly or horizontally.

United States Patent 1191 Patterson 1 1 WALL FORMED CONDUIT FOR SWIMMINGPOOLS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME [76] Inventor: James A. Patterson,PO. Box

44147. Columbus. Ohio 43204 [22] Filed: Mar. 14, I974 [21] Appl. No:451.064

[52] US. Cl. 210/169; 4/172.17; 29/475 [51] Int. Cl E04h 3/20 [58] Fieldof Search 210/60. 74, 197. 169; 4/l72.l2-172. 19; 52/630; 29/475 [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 849.502 4/1907 Rude .1 52/6303.045.829 7/1962 Rule et all 210/169 3.157.597 11/1964 Burba 210/1693.234.700 2/1966 Creveling 52/630 3.308.596 3/1967 Coopcr ct a1. 52/6303.363.767 1/1968 Ellis .14/17117 3.391.790 7/1968 Lerner 4/l72.17

[ 1 June 17, 1975 3.432.867 3/1969 Whitten. Jr. t, 4/17217 3.561.0172/1971 Holland 1/172117 3.668.714 6/1972 Balter 4/172.l7 3.749.2447/1973 Januzzi. Jr 210/169 3.815.160 6/1974 Balter 14/172117 FOREIGNPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 964.192 7/1964 United Kingdom 210/169 PrimaryExaminer-Theodore A. Granger Attorney, Agent. or FirmWood. Herron &Evans [57] ABSTRACT 6 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures WALL FORMED CONDUIT FORSWIMMING POOLS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME This invention relates to aconduit system and the method of making the same for swimming pools, andmore particularly, the invention is directed to a conduit system for ametal wall pool wherein the conduit is formed in part by a portion ofthe metal wall of the pool, the conduit being completed by the weldingof a plate over that portion of the metal wall of the pool.

For many years the plumbing for introducing water from a filter into aswimming pool has consisted of pipe buried in the earth surrounding theoutside of the pool. The pipe is connected to a filter and has branchconncctions leading into the swimming pool to form outlets at spacedlocations around the pool. Such plumbing is difficult to install andwhen installed tends to deteriorate more or less rapidly, depending onsoil conditions. Since it is usually under a concrete deck surroundingthe pool. its repair is quite difficult and costly.

ln Ogden US. Pat. No. 2,932,397 there is disclosed a conduit systemforming a substantial improvement over the conventionally used buriedplumbing. In the Ogden system a water return gutter extending around thetop of the pool is formed in part by a conduit which is connected to afilter and used to introduce water into the pool. In forming a part ofthe gutter, it is not subject to the deteriorating effects of beingburied in soil. and it is always exposed for ease of maintenance. TheOgden system. however, introduces water to the pool from the conduitadjacent the overflow gutter. which has the limitation of injectingwater close to the top of the pool.

The present invention not only obviates the limitation of the Ogdensystem, but additionally provides a number of advantageous features,particularly when used in conjunction with a metal wall pool.

The invention includes the formation of the conduit as a part of themetal walls of the pool. In a metal wall pool. the conduit is formed byfirst forming a generally horizontal offset in the wall structure andthereafter covering that offset with a plate which is welded to the wallto complete the conduit. Holes are formed in the plate at spacedlocations along its length to form outlets for directing jets offiltered water into the pool.

The plate preferably has a horizontally or longitudinally extendingVshaped recess formed in its surface. The V-shaped recess is constitutedby a downwardly facing section and an upwardly facing section, either ofwhich may be drilled perpendicularly to the section to form downwardlyor upwardly directed outlets. Alternatively. the plate may be drilledhorizontally to form holes through which filtered water is directedhorizontally into the pool.

The conduit structure thus far described has many advantages and optionsfor the pool builder. It can be located at any vertical position on thewall of the pool. For example. it can be located adjacent the bottom ofthe pool. following generally the contour of the bottom of the pool fromthe shallow end to the deep end. At least some of the outlets can beformed to direct water horizontally into the pool. thus providing acontinuous sweeping action on the bottom of the pool. thereby tending tokeep the bottom of the pool clean and eliminating much of the vacuumingnormally required for maintenance of the pool.

Alternatively. the conduit can be installed horizontally around thepool, being quite close to the bottom of the pool at its shallow end andspaced from the bottom of the pool at the deep end. By selectivelydirecting the water into the pool either upwardly, downwardly orhorizontally through the use of the V-shaped recess. the differingrequirements for introduction of water at the different depths of thepool can be accommodated to provide assurance of a uniform distributionof filtered chlorinated water into the pool. For example. at the shallowend of the pool the outlets can be predominantly horizontally directed.whereas at the deep end of the pool a number of outlets can bedownwardly directed to assure good penetration of the incoming water tothe bottom of the pool.

Thus. the combination of selection as to the vertical position of theconduit on the pool wall as well as the direction of the jets of waterintroduced into the pool permits the pool builder to accommodate a widevariety of pool shapes. depths and the like while providing completeassurance of the proper distribution of filtered water into all parts ofthe pool as well as the maintenance of a desired level of chlorineresidual in the bottom of the pool.

In the construction of a metal wall pool. the conduit structure hasseveral additional advantages. The formation of a channel-shaped offsetin the wall of the pool covered by a plate which forms the conduitcreates a box-like reinforcing element which strengthens the pool walland reduces the need for additional bracing normally required to installand maintain straight vertical walls.

The vertical walls are normally formed by welding, along a horizontaljoint, two or more sheets which are usually four feet wide sections. Byforming the conduit offset at the location of such joint. the joint willbe concealed by the overlying plate, thereby eliminating the need topolish that joint after its formation.

Not only does the V-shaped recess in the plate provide a structure forconveniently directing water upwardly or downwardly, but additionallythe V-shaped recess strengthens the plate and makes it easier to handleduring the time that it is welded to the pool wall.

The conduit structure of the present invention also admits of theformation of a safety ledge a few feet below the surface of the water atthe deep end of the pool simply by modifying the configuration of theconduit.

Another advantage of the invention resides in the comparative ease withwhich it can be fabricated either at the shop or in the field. By way ofexample, the current practice of fabricating the Ogden gutter andconduit is to first form a hollow conduit by welding a plate to agenerally channel-shaped section. Thereafter. usually in the field, thathollow conduit is welded to the metallic gutter structure. Thedifficulty with that fabrication system and structure resides in thefact that the initial welding of a plate to a channel-shaped section toform the hollow conduit introduces stresses and distortions into theconduit. It requires a highly skilled welder to accommodate thosestresses and distortions in properly welding the hollow conduit to theremaining gutter structure. By contrast, the formation of the conduit inthe pool wall requires the joining together of the two shaped elements.namely, the wall and the plate. neither of which has been stressed ordistorted due to pre vious welding.

Another advantage of the invention is that it admits of a method of flowcontrol wherein filtered water is introduced into the pool at the bottomof the pool or at least well below the surface of the pool and iscaused. through regulation of the main drain at the bottom of the pool,to flow generally in an upward direction with at least 50 percent of thewater returned to the filter being returned via the gutter around thetop of the pool.

The several features of the invention will become more readily apparentfrom the following detailed description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is a diagrammatic sectional view through the center of the pool;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view through the center of the poolillustrating an alternative embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic sectional view through a pool wall illustratingone form of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 illustrating an alternativeform of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4 illustrating still anotheralternative form of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 66 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 7-7 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 88 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 99 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 10-10 of FIG. 2.

It will be appreciated that the invention is adapted to be used with apool of any configuration. By way of illustration, the invention isillustrated as installed in a pool 12 which is simply a rectangular poolhaving a shallow end 13 and a deep end 14. The pool is formed with metalside walls 15 and a concrete bottom wall 17. The pool has a conduitformed in the side walls of the pool and extending all around theperimeter of the pool.

Water is introduced into the conduit from a recirculating system andfilter 27 which is connected to the conduit at a point closest to thefilter by an inlet tube 21 which permits the water to flow in bothdirections around the pool to the end of the pool opposite the point ofintroduction. The conduit 20 has spaced outlet openings 23 to bedescribed in greater detail below. Water may be returned to the filterthrough a main drain 25 in the bottom of the pool and through a gutter26 located at the top of the pool and extending around the perimeter ofthe pool.

One form of conduit structure is illustrated in FIG. 3. It is formed ofan upper sheet metal section 30, a lower sheet metal section 31 and aplate 32. The sheet metal sections are conveniently obtained as 4 feetwide sheets which may be, for example, l0 feet long. The upper sectionis formed in a conventional press brake to provide a gutter 35 includinga coping 36 which forms the outer wall of the gutter and trapezoidalsection 37 forming the inner wall of the gutter. The lower end of theupper section terminates in an outwardly and downwardly directed flange38. The lower section 31 has at its upper end an outwardly and upwardlydirected flange 39 whose upper edge butts the lower edge of the uppersection and is joined thereto by a continuous weld. Thus. the joinededges of the upper and lower sections respectively form a channel-shapedoffset 40 which when closed by the plate 32 forms the conduit 20. Theplate 32 preferably has flanges 41 which project into the offset 40.Continuous welds are formed at 43 and 44 to make the conduit watertight.

The plate 32 preferably has a V-shaped recess 45 formed in its surfaceby a downwardly facing section 46 and an upwardly facing section 47.Apertures as outlet openings for discharging water into the pool fromthe conduit may be formed by drilling a horizontal hole as at 50 in thevertical wall of the plate 32 to provide a horizontal jet of waterdischarging into the pool. An outlet opening 51 may also be drilled atthe downwardly facing section 46 to provide a downwardly directed jetdischarging into the pool. A hole 52 may also be formed in the upwardlyfacing section 47 by drilling a hole perpendicular to that section so asto discharge water into the pool in an upward direction. The holes willbe positioned along the length of the conduit at locations determined bythe pool designer. The holes may vary in size from V4, 5/l6 or 7/l6 inchdiameter holes, with their number and size depending upon the number ofgallons per minute of water to be discharged into the pool.

It can be observed from FIG. 3 that by forming the conduit structureacross the joint between the upper and lower sections, the weld joiningthe upper and lower sections will be concealed by the plate 32 and hencerequires no polishing, thereby eliminating one fabricating operationwhich would normally be required in forming the pool wall.

An alternative form of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 4. There,the pool is formed by an upper section 60 and a lower section 62, theupper section being configurated to form a gutter as described above.The lower end of the upper section terminates in an outwardly directedflange 63 which abuts a similarly formed outwardly directed flange 64 atthe upper end of the lower section 62. A continuous weld is formed at 65to join the upper and lower sections together where their flanges 63 and64 abut. The flanges 63 and 64 are not absolutely necessary. but providea convenient means for stiffening the wall structure without having toadd additional bracing at that area. In this embodiment, the conduit isformed simply by forming a channel-shaped offset 67 intermediate theupper and lower edges of the lower section and enclosing that section bya plate 32 formed as described above and continuously welded over theoffset 67 at 68 and 69.

In another embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 5, the upperand lower sections are flanged and joined together at their flanges asdescribed above and as indicated at 70. A channel-shaped offset 71 isformed in the lower section 72, the upper portion of the offset 71 beingenclosed by a plate 73. The plate 73 has a generally vertical upperportion which is continuously welded at 74 to the upper end of theoffset 71. The plate also has an inclined portion 75 which iscontinuously welded as at 76 to a vertical wall of the offset 71. Thisconfiguration creates a ledge 77 having a horizontal dimension of fourinches, for example. Thus, the conduit configuration serves the dualfunction of providing a footrest for the swimmer at the deep end of thepool. Because the embodiment just described is normally located at thedeep end of the pool, a still additional wall section 78 may be requiredto form a wall of sufficient vertical dimension for the deep end of thepool.

The plate 32 with its V-shaped groove admits of horizontal. upwardlydirected. and downwardly directed jets of incoming water as describedabove. The manner in which such jets can be utilized is illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2 as well as the cross-sectional views of FIGS. 6-10. InFIG. I, the conduit is shown as being completely horizontal around theperiphery of the pool, the conduit being adjacent the bottom wall at theshallow end of the pool and being spaced above the bottom wall at thedeep end of the pool. As shown in FIG. 6, the inlet openings at theshallow end of the pool may be horizontally directed to provide asweeping action across the bottom of the pool. Intermediate the deep andshallow ends of the pool where the conduit is spaced above the bottom ofthe pool. at least some of the jets should be downwardly directed asillustrated in FIG. 7 to provide assurance of the introduction offiltered chlorinated water into the bottom of the pool. The outlets atother locations may. as illustrated in FIG. 8, be horizontally directedor upwardly directed so as to make the introduction of the filteredwater into the pool as uniform as possible.

A somewhat different approach is illustrated in FIG. II). There. theconduit is generally horizontal but is configurated to lie adjacent thebottom of the pool all around the perimeter of the pool. All around theperimeter of the pool, horizontal outlet openings will be formed in theconduit to direct water in a sweeping action across the bottom of thepool to provide a continuous cleaning action. Additionally, however. asillustrated in FIG. 10, at some locations upwardly directed outlets willbe formed in the conduit to assure good circulation of filtered waterinto the upper areas of the pool.

The conduit configuration of FIG. 2 admits of a method of controllingthe flow of water into the pool through the regulation of the flow ofwater out of the main drain. By proper regulation, at least 50 percentof the water returning to the filter is required to flow over the gutterwall to be returned to the filter via the gutter. Through this system,clean water is introduced into the bottom of the pool and is forced tocirculate to the top of the pool where it is discharged over the gutterwalls.

I claim:

I. A swimming pool comprising. in combination:

a recirculating and filter system,

a tank with a floor and metal side and end walls,

metal gutter means constructed and arranged along the upper edge of themetal side and end walls of the pool.

conduit means with a first end connected to said gutter means and asecond end in communication with said recirculating and filtering systemwhereby liquid collected in said gutter is conducted to said filtersystem.

conduit means comprising metal box structure connected to said walls andconstructed and arranged around the periphery of said metal side and endwalls of the pool and located on the side of said walls opposite theinterior of the tank defined by said walls.

said metal box structure further being located at a height above thebottom edge of said walls and beneath the bottom of said gutter means.

a V-shaped recess formed into the side of said metal box common with thesidewall along its peripheral length and constructed and arrangedwhereby the interior of said recess is in fluid communication with theinterior of said tank,

apertures located in the side walls of said V-shaped recess for thepassage of fluid therethrough,

conduit means with a first end in communication with said filter andrecirculating system and a second end in communication with the interiorof said metal box structure whereby filtered water may be returned tothe interior of said tank through said apertures located in the sides ofthe \/-shaped recessv 2. A conduit as in claim 1 further comprising saidrecess presenting a downwardly facing section and an upwardly facingsection,

said apertures being formed in at least one of said sections.

3. A conduit as in claim I wherein said metal box structure is locatedadjacent the bottom of said wall.

said apertures being directed horizontally whereby jets of incomingwater will tend to sweep across the bottom ofa pool to assist inmaintaining the bottom of the pool in a clean condition. 4. A conduit asin claim 1, said metal box structure being formed by an offset in saidtank walls and enclosed by a plate, said offset being formed by avertical section and upper and lower horizontal sections, said platehaving its upper edge welded to said upper horizontal section and itslower edge welded to said vertical section, thereby forming a conduitwhile exposing said lower horizontal section to form a safety ledge. 5.A conduit as in claim 1, said metal box structure being configurated toform a safety ledge located a substantial distance below the top of thepool wall. 6. In a swimming pool comprising, in combination: arecirculating and filter system, a tank with a floor and metal side andend walls, metal gutter means constructed and arranged along the upperedge of the metal side and end walls of the pool, conduit means with afirst end connected to said gutter means and a second end incommunication with said recirculating and filtering system wherebyliquid collected in said gutter is conducted to said filter system, themethod of forming a conduit for delivering water from the filter systemto the interior of the tank comprising the steps of: bending the metaltank walls at a location below the top of said tank walls to form anoutwardly projecting offset extending generally horizontally around theperiphery of said pool,

covering said offset with an elongated metallic plate to define aconduit formed in part by the offset portion of said tank wall and inpart by said plate,

securing the longitudinal edges of said plate to said tank walls to forma watertight seal with respect to said tank walls,

forming apertures as outlet holes in said plate spaced longitudinallyaround the perimeter of said pool for the introduction of water underpressure from said filter to said pool.

and connecting said thus formed conduit to said filter system, wherebyfiltered water from said system may be introduced into the interior ofsaid tank through said conduit.

1. A swimming pool comprising, in combination: a recirculating andfilter system, a tank with a floor and metal side and end walls, metalgutter means constructed and arranged along the upper edge of the metalside and end walls of the pool, conduit means with a first end connectedto said gutter means and a second end in communication with saidrecirculating and filtering system whereby liquid collected in saidgutter is conducted to said filter system, conduit means comprisingmetal box structure connected to said walls and constructed and arrangedaround the periphery of said metal side and end walls of the pool andlocated on the side of said walls opposite the interior of the tankdefined by said walls, said metal box structure further being located ata height above the bottom edge of said walls and beneath the bottom ofsaid gutter means, a V-shaped recess formed into the side of said metalbox common with the sidewall along its peripheral length and constructedand arranged whereby the interior of said recess is in fluidcommunication with the interior of said tank, apertures located in theside walls of said V-shaped recess for the passage of fluidtherethrough, conduit means with a first end in communication with saidfilter and recirculating system and a second end in communication withthe interior of said metal box structure whereby filtered water may bereturned to the interior of said tank through said apertures located inthe sides of the V-shaped recess.
 2. A conduit as in claim 1 furthercomprising said recess presenting a downwardly facing section and anupwardly facing section, said apertures being formed in at least one ofsaid sections.
 3. A conduit as in claim 1 wherein said metal boxstructure is located adjacent the bottom of said wall, said aperturesbeing directed horizontally whereby jets of incoming water will tend tosweep across the bottom of a pool to assist in maintaining the bottom ofthe pool in a clean condition.
 4. A conduit as in claim 1, said metalbox structure being formed by an offset in said tank walls and enclosedby a plate, said offset being formed by a vertical section and upper andlower horizontal sections, said plate having its upper edge welded tosaid upper horizontal section and its lower edge welded to said verticalsection, thereby forming a conduit while exposing said lower horizontalsection to form a safety ledge.
 5. A conduit as in claim 1, said metalbox structure being configurateD to form a safety ledge located asubstantial distance below the top of the pool wall.
 6. In a swimmingpool comprising, in combination: a recirculating and filter system, atank with a floor and metal side and end walls, metal gutter meansconstructed and arranged along the upper edge of the metal side and endwalls of the pool, conduit means with a first end connected to saidgutter means and a second end in communication with said recirculatingand filtering system whereby liquid collected in said gutter isconducted to said filter system, the method of forming a conduit fordelivering water from the filter system to the interior of the tankcomprising the steps of: bending the metal tank walls at a locationbelow the top of said tank walls to form an outwardly projecting offsetextending generally horizontally around the periphery of said pool,covering said offset with an elongated metallic plate to define aconduit formed in part by the offset portion of said tank wall and inpart by said plate, securing the longitudinal edges of said plate tosaid tank walls to form a watertight seal with respect to said tankwalls, forming apertures as outlet holes in said plate spacedlongitudinally around the perimeter of said pool for the introduction ofwater under pressure from said filter to said pool, and connecting saidthus formed conduit to said filter system, whereby filtered water fromsaid system may be introduced into the interior of said tank throughsaid conduit.